How much pain

[melanie]

Well, Friday will make six weeks since my 2nd AVR. I am still having pain in my neck, back, and shoulders like I have a pinched nerve. When I ask the nurse about it, she said I was having normal pain and I was just going to have to be patience and let my body heal. I don't remember experiencing this much pain after my 1st surgery. Is this normal or is there something else going on???? How much pain should I feel now, where should the majority of pain be coming from??? I am back at work, but I am not doing any physical labor. Depession is getting closer and closer. My doctor says I should feel great, but that is kinda hard to do when you are in pain. I just suck it up and hope tomorrow will be better.

 

[kfay]

Melanie, I had a lot of pain in my right shoulder, neck and upper back area. That was much more painful than my chest ever was. I had it for quite a while. The pain meds didn't seem to really help it that much. The heating pad became my best friend and I was getting 2 massages a week for a while. Then I started noticing I would have days when they pain wasn't really there and before I knew it it was completely gone.

Kim

 

[Cooker]

My right shoulder and neck pain was bad?.it was more bothersome that my incision?.it went away but it took awhile and I used the chiropractor which I believe greatly helped?..hang in there it will resolve itself

 

[KristyW]

Melanie,

This kind of pain really is "normal". If I remember right, my neck & shoulders were very stiff & sore for a couple of months. This also caused headaches for me. The others have offered great suggestions of a heating pad & massages.

 

[melanie]

Thank you for your replies. I am relieved to know that this is normal. I just can't get over the difference between the two surgeries. I have a heating pad and used it this past weekend. It looks like its going to become my best friend for awhile.

 

[CHDDoug]

Like others, I had more pain in my shoulders and neck than I did anywhere else. I started sleeping on a heating pad and that helped a TON! You might try it. The heating pads (single use ones that you buy at Walmart or a drug store) also helped (during the day). Hang in there.

 

[WayneGM]

It was a year before my neck, shoulder, and back pain subsided. That said, at almost 3 years out I still get occasional flare ups. The analogy I would offer is whiplash after a car accident. It typically can last years if not indefinitely. The trauma your body suffers after OHS is compariable, if not worse. It's nothing that will inhibit your daily activities in the long term, but your body will occasionally reminded you that you had OHS. Best wishes and good luck.

 

[ponygirlmom]

Well, Friday will make six weeks since my 2nd AVR. I am still having pain in my neck, back, and shoulders like I have a pinched nerve. When I ask the nurse about it, she said I was having normal pain....

I am very angry at your nurse. Just because many patients pinch nerves and/or have sore and stiff muscles does not mean that you should ignore these unpleasant problems, nor does it mean there is no help for them.

During surgery, your jaw and neck are in stretched and unnatural positions for hours. After surgery you may have to sleep in positions that are unusual for you, and you cannot move or exercise normally. All of this can contribute to pinched nerves, muscle imbalances and stiff and sore areas.

On another thread, several members talked about their first post-surgery appointments with their chiropractors. I am four weeks from surgery. I had my first neck/jaw appointment with my chiro last week and my second one today. Before that, I did whichever stretching and maintenance exercises that I could in order to prevent the problems you are describing. In the hospital, the most I could do is my "nose alphabet" (which keeps the fluids moving in your neck and maintains mobility) and gentle relaxing stretches of the neck. As I recovered I could do more and more of my stretches.

I'm not sure what course of action to advise, because you may not be able to start with a brand-new physical therapist or chiropractor so soon after surgery. For me and others on the list, we were already patients. But my point is that you should have this looked into. An idea: start with a general practitioner who is a D.O.

 

[Phyllis]

It was a good 10 weeks before Dick was without pain in his shoulders and could sleep comfortably at night- all normal, but it will resolve itself. We found some Ben-Guay and a massage helped.

 

[Guest]

As others have said, a heating pad works wonders. When I had neck issues, the chiro I was seeing suggested ice on the neck. I had a pinched nerve, ice works better on nerves than heat.

 

[aussigal]

Yep...I am another who fell in love with a heating pad after OHS....my shoulder and neck area really loved the warmth on those stiff muscles...I also felt like I had a pinched nerve of some sort or a bone that wasnt quite right...with the warmth losening my muscles I was able to stretch and move better which helped fix that pinching feeling. At 6 weeks I was allowed to see the Osteopath so that might be a treatment you wish to pursue.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Massage... Massage... Massage...

Stretch... Stretch... Stretch...

Rehab... Rehab... Rehab...

That is the answer!

Back PAIN from sore muscles was relieved
almost instantly (OK a minute or two) by a
Vibrating Disk Massager (2-1/2 inch diameter).

Way Faster and Better than Pain Meds!

Stretches helped prevent / lessen the muscle pain
in the long run but weren't all that helpful during
a muscle 'spasm'.

In my Cardiac Rehab Class, they had some
'arm-cycle' machines that really loosened up
my tight upper arm and shoulder muscles.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[hensylee]

none of us know what goes on while we are 'out'. I was injured in hip while under the knife. It may be safe to say that many have soreness in shoulders, neck and back after this surgery.

 

[SHEEPDOG]

My shoulder pain...

My shoulder pain...

... was SOOOO bad for the first few days, I couldn't lift my right arm. Had to use my left to move the right. That eased up and now (3 weeks out) is just stiffness. I do have a new problem at the Scapula on the left side. Got to try the heating pad. It all sounds pretty normal to me though.

 

[ruthienc1]

Hi Melanie! Until about 6 weeks out I had a fair amount of discomfort only on my right side- mainly my right shoulder blade and the right breast tissue. The incision itself was no problem. I could get relief with Aleve and slept on my left side with a carefully arranged pillow supporting my right arm. That seemed to keep everything where it needed to be to allow relatively painfree sleep. It will get better!

 

[Freddie]

OMGOSH Ann, my hip was injured too while under the knife.

Melanie, one thing that was pointed out to me was to make sure to keep the shoulders square and stretch them shoulders towards the back and bring shoulders up to your ears then stretch downwards slowly- you will feel it will stretch in the upper chest area and possibly in the neck.
Hope the pain and discomfort subsides soon.

 

[BDMc]

I think the pros(docs and nurses) should be much more responsive to your complaints. I suspect that some regular massage would do you wonders, but that doesn't get the docs/nurses off the hook for their responsibility!